SPRAINS & BROKEN BONES

Our compassionate medical team at our Urgent Care in San Marcos understands that you might not think a sprain is worth seeking a medical evaluation but because a sprain could be a number of other, more serious types of injuries, including a hairline fracture, it's definitely best to get care and if needed, an x-ray on-site. 

The following are reasons you should visit our walk-in clinic in San Marcos if you think you have a sprain:

1. You need to be 100% sure it's not broken.
If you need to use your injured foot, leg, hand, or arm for your job or sports commitments then getting checked out at our Walk-in Urgent Care will give you the answers you need. What you think is a simple sprain could actually be a hairline fracture or other type of bone injury, a complex sprain, or a strain (damaged tendons or muscles).

Although you could heal within days from a simple sprain, even a moderate sprain can put pressure on your joint and make movement difficult. A severe sprain can actually dislocate your joint. When you come to our walk-in urgent care clinic, we can X-ray your injury in-house to survey the extent of your damage and make sure you get the right treatment. If needed, we will refer you to our Orthopedic doctor to help further.

2. You can’t put weight on or move the injured body part.
Even simple sprains tend to bruise, swell, and feel painful. But if you can’t put weight on your foot or knee, or if moving your shoulder or elbow hurts enough to interfere with your activities, you should seek medical care at our walk-in clinic in San Marcos. Sometimes you might even feel a sharp pain when putting on pressure. We are open 7 days a week to evaluate you. After ruling out other causes of your pain, we may prescribe devices to help support your joint and your injured ligaments so they can repair themselves over time. Whether you need a walking boot or crutches, we can keep you mobile and safe. We may recommend physical therapy exercises that help stretch and strengthen your ligaments to accelerate healing and minimize re-injury risk.

3. Your joint cracks or pops.
After a sprain, you may notice that your knee pops or your elbow cracks when you move it. These are signs that you may have a severe sprain and that the ligaments are no longer holding your joint in place.

When your ligament has completely torn or detached, you need to give your joint support so that it can function without becoming damaged or causing arthritis. Compression bandages, braces, splints, or crutches help keep your joints stable and increase your mobility without worsening your injury. We may refer you to our Orthopedic as well.

4. You’ve sprained that area before.
If you tend to continually sprain your ankles, wrist, or other body parts, your ligaments could be weak, as could the surrounding tendons and muscles. Spraining the same part over and over stresses the joint and can lead to arthritis, loose joints, and tendon damage.

In addition to treating your sprain, we may recommend you for physical therapy. Your physical therapist helps you stretch and strengthen your ligaments, evaluates and modifies your movements to minimize the risk of re-injury, and helps you learn to use assistive devices when needed.

5. You don’t get better after a few days from injury.

A few days of the RICE protocol should help your sprain feel better and improve mobility. The RICE protocol consists of:

Rest — not using the injured part

Icing — applying a wrapped ice pack to the injury for no more than 20 minutes per hour for the first 48 hours

Compression — wearing an ACE bandage or other compression device to stabilize the joint and minimize swelling

Elevation — raising the area above your waist to reduce swelling and bruising

You can also use anti-inflammatory medications to control pain. If you’re still in pain or have difficulty moving after a few days of self-care, definitely come into Carlsbad Urgent Care San Marcos for evaluation and treatment.

Whether you have a simple sprain, moderate sprain, or severe sprain, you should rest and limit your activities until your injury heals. You might need to refrain from sports, running, and other high-impact activities for at least four to eight weeks. During a follow-up visit, we’ll give you the all-clear when you’re ready to get back in the game or refer you to our in-house Orthopedic Surgeon if necessary.

To make sure you don't have a fracture and to get proper care whether it's a sprain or a broken bone, be sure to walk in, call, or book an appointment online.